Moonlight Shadow
by YamiPaladinofChaos
Summary: [Harry x Ginny] And then the moment passed, and Harry Potter was gone, as if he was never there, a moonlight shadow.


Disclaimer- I don't own Harry Potter.

Ginny hates the night.

Once, it was her favorite time of the day. No brothers knocking on her door, no mother asking her to do chores... nothing.

Just silence.

Growing up in a house full of boys and one very dominant matriarch makes it difficult to find time for yourself.

Her father understood, of course, and would always smile in that special way of his when she would slip off into her room when things got too loud.

The silence of the night was once her favorite time.

But then the years dragged on... soon Percy, the Fred and George, then even Ron left the Burrow, heading towards magical adventures at Hogwarts.

The silence soon became a prison for her, trapped, waiting for her day.

It only got worse as time went on.

When a shy, small boy with battered spectacles softly asked her mother for directions, the silent night became something more. It became a time to think about Harry Potter, to wonder if he would stay at the Burrow, to dream about having adventures...

But her own adventure would be a nightmare. Waking up, not knowing how she got there or what she did...

For the longest time, Ginny could barely sleep, fearful that should she dare to let her guard down, the Dark Lord would take her.

Soon, the night even became a time for heartbreak, as she realized that Harry was not noticing her, not lavishing her with the attention she once believed he would offer...

No, the night's tranquility had become a time for silent agony and aching fear.

Much like the world slowly loses its shine to children, the night slowly became something awful to Ginny.

But these nights are the worst.

Knowing that Harry is out there, somewhere, perhaps at his aunt and uncle's house, or perhaps already on his perilous quest to destroy Lord Voldemort, once and for all.

She believes he can... no, she knows he can. He will.

What she fears now is the epilogue of this story... what will happen to Harry at the end.

Would he be forced to sacrifice himself, to die at the hands of Tom Riddle, the way she almost did? Would he be gravely wounded, dying before he could return?

Or... even worse, to survive, and not return. After all, Harry never promised her anything.

She didn't want a promise, though. She knew he couldn't. He was a savior, a hero.

And the hero does not get to rest in the middle of the story.

Ginny didn't know if Harry would come back, or if she would have any part in the story, or the happily ever after...

So she waited in the silence of the night, hating every second of it. All she could do was sit in the shadows of her once precious sanctuary, her home, and wait for his return.

Sighing, she glanced out the window. The moon was big and full tonight... somewhere out there, Professor Lupin was likely transforming, as was every other werewolf...

She shuddered slightly, and a pit of hate in her stomach grew as she wondered if Fenrir Greyback was stalking someone tonight. Bill grew distinctly more feral as the full moon approached... perhaps he'd never be able to rid himself of that problem.

The war had struck her home, and left it ringing. A house divided by the middle child, with its youngest son off helping to save the world...

And Ginny, who finally caught her knight... but had to let him go.

This was the true test now... she had Harry... now it was time to see if he loved her, if there was more to their relationship.

After all, to love something, you had to set it free. If it returned, it was yours.

And so, she waited in the silence of the night.

A slight shadow moved near a copse of trees, they rustled in the summer breeze. Ginny blinked, and studied it carefully... these were dangerous times.

Her brown eyes were intently trying to scrutinize the shadowy form just inside the copse...

And then suddenly, the trees shifted slightly, a beam of luminous moonlight illuminating the figure...

Ginny sucked in a breath, unable to believe it for herself, unable to believe it had happened.

Harry Potter stood just outside the Burrow, barely visible, a moonlight shadow. He had grown a little, his spectacles the same as ever, however... and his wonderful emerald eyes were staring right back at her.

It was only a glimpse, perhaps even something she imagined...

But for a brief moment, Ginny thought that he was reassuring her, telling her that he would be fine, that he would return... that he loved her.

And then the moment passed, and Harry Potter was gone, as if he was never there, a moonlight shadow.

Author's Notes

Just a short vignette to help get my writing back on track. This number popped up while I was on vacation.


End file.
